I get asked the same question constantly: "If I only have one day outside Phoenix, where should I go?" The honest answer depends on the season, who you're with, and how much driving you actually want to do. So instead of a generic list, this guide ranks the 15 best day trips from Phoenix the way I think about them — by drive time, what kind of trip it is, and whether I'd send my own family there on a hot July Saturday.
Every trip on this list is one I've personally done in a single day, multiple times. I've cut a few classics that sound great on paper but are punishing in practice (looking at you, Grand Canyon as a same-day round trip). What's left are the ones that consistently deliver.
How to think about day trips from Phoenix
Phoenix's geography is unusual. To the north you climb a mile in elevation in about 90 minutes, which means you can leave 105°F in the Valley and arrive at 75°F in pine country. To the east you have desert lakes and dramatic canyon country. To the south, sky-island mountains and Mexican-influenced towns. Each direction is a different kind of trip.
My rule of thumb: any drive over 2.5 hours one way isn't really a day trip — it's a half-vacation. The trips on this list are all under that limit, with most clocking in between 60 and 120 minutes each way. That leaves you real time at the destination.
1. Sedona — the obvious pick, and worth it
Sedona is roughly two hours up I-17, and it earns its reputation. Red rock formations like Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and the Chapel of the Holy Cross are genuinely as photogenic in person as they are online. The trick is timing: arrive by 8 AM on weekends or you'll spend an hour looking for parking.
For a single day, I'd pick one short hike (Bell Rock or Devil's Bridge if you're up for a longer walk), one viewpoint coffee stop, and one sit-down meal in West Sedona. Don't try to do every vortex in one day — you'll come home exhausted and miss the actual point of being there.
2. Jerome ghost town & the Verde Valley
Jerome is a former copper-mining town clinging to the side of Cleopatra Hill, about 2 hours north of Phoenix. It has the best concentration of working artists of anywhere I've been in Arizona, plus genuinely good restaurants, a wine tasting scene in nearby Cottonwood, and the kind of switchback drive that makes you grateful you weren't driving a stagecoach in 1890.
Pair Jerome with a stop in Cottonwood's Old Town for lunch and you have an easy, low-effort day trip that doesn't involve a hike if you don't want one.
3. Salt River tubing (summer only)
On a hot day, nothing beats floating the Lower Salt River. Salt River Tubing runs a shuttle, you rent a tube for the day, and you drift for 2–5 hours depending on which put-in you choose. Bring sunscreen you don't mind losing, wear shoes that can get wet, and please — the wild horses on the riverbank are not friendly photo props. Keep your distance.
Best months are late May through early September. After Labor Day they close for the season.
4. Apache Trail & Canyon Lake
The Apache Trail (AZ-88) is one of the most underrated drives in the state. It runs from Apache Junction past Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flat into deep Superstition Mountain country. Note: some sections have been closed since the 2019 storm damage, so always check current conditions before you commit. The paved section to Canyon Lake is open year-round and is itself a beautiful drive.
Stop at Tortilla Flat for prickly pear ice cream, take the Dolly Steamboat cruise on Canyon Lake if it's running, and turn back before the unpaved switchbacks unless you've confirmed they're open.
5. Prescott & the Bradshaw Mountains
Prescott sits at 5,400 feet, which means summer highs in the 80s while Phoenix is in the 110s. The historic Courthouse Plaza is the heart of town, Whiskey Row still has working saloons, and Watson Lake just outside town has some of the strangest, most photogenic rock formations in northern Arizona.
Drive time is about 100 minutes via I-17 and AZ-69. For a longer return trip, take AZ-89 down through Yarnell and Wickenburg.
Trips 6–15 (in brief)
Below are the rest of my regular rotation. Each of these has — or will soon have — its own dedicated deep-dive guide on the site.
- 6. Tonto Natural Bridge — the world's largest travertine bridge, ~2 hrs NE
- 7. Payson & the Mogollon Rim — pine country and cliff views, ~2 hrs NE
- 8. Montezuma Castle & Well — fascinating cliff dwellings, ~90 min N
- 9. Lost Dutchman State Park — best Superstition Mountain views, ~45 min E
- 10. Crown King — slow dirt-road drive to a tiny mountain town, ~2 hrs N
- 11. Globe & Tonto National Monument — history + cliff dwellings, ~1.5 hrs E
- 12. Wickenburg — cowboy history and easy desert walks, ~75 min NW
- 13. Cave Creek & Carefree — boutique-y desert towns, ~45 min N
- 14. Saguaro Lake — kayaking + wild burros, ~45 min E
- 15. Florence Junction wildflower drive (March only) — ~75 min SE
What I no longer recommend as a day trip
A few popular suggestions don't actually work as day trips, in my experience:
Grand Canyon South Rim: technically possible at ~3.5 hours each way, but you'll arrive tired, have maybe two hours on the rim, and drive home in the dark. Make it an overnight.
Antelope Canyon / Horseshoe Bend (Page): nearly 5 hours each way. Not a day trip from Phoenix in any honest sense.
Havasu Falls: requires permits and a 10-mile hike each way. Not a day trip under any circumstance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest scenic day trip from Phoenix?
Lost Dutchman State Park is about 45 minutes east and gives you classic Superstition Mountain views with easy trails. Cave Creek and Saguaro Lake are similarly close.
Can you do Sedona as a day trip from Phoenix?
Yes — it's a comfortable 2-hour drive each way. Leave by 7 AM, plan one hike and one meal, and you'll be home by dinner.
What's the best summer day trip from Phoenix?
Anything that puts elevation between you and the Valley. Prescott, Payson, Mount Lemmon, and Flagstaff are all 25–40°F cooler than Phoenix in July.
